The same process that illuminates big-screen plasma TV’s can now create ultra-clean fuels

according to a scientific report presented earlier this week. According to Prof. Albin Czernichowski from France’s University of Orleans, a device called a GlidArc reactor has successfully been used to create clean fuels from waste materials, utilizing electrically-charged clouds of gas called “plasmas.” One of the fuels is a form of diesel that reportedly releases ten times less air pollution than conventional diesel.

The GlidArc process takes its name from a gliding arc of electricity, that produces a plasma within the reactor. The plasma allows chemical reactions to take place at much lower temperatures than would otherwise be required – one of these reactions is the gasification of locally-available waste, biomass or other substances. The resultant clean mix of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas can then be synthesized into biofuel.